A man from Norristown, who authorities say was driving too fast at the time of a two-car crash that resulted in the death of a woman in the other car, has been charged with vehicular homicide and manslaughter.
Adan Ortiz-Gonzalez, 18, from the 400 block of East Marshall Street, was brought before District Court Judge Marc Alfarano on accusations of causing a fatal crash on Feb. 26, 2024, at DeKalb and East Brown streets that resulted in the death of 37-year-old Katty Campos, from Ambler. The charges against him include homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, speeding, and reckless and careless driving.
Ortiz-Gonzalez is currently free on $50,000 unsecured bail and is waiting for a preliminary hearing on May 3, before District Court Judge Todd N. Barnes.
On Thursday, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Norristown Police Chief Jacqueline Bailey-Davis announced the arrest of Ortiz-Gonzalez.
The investigation started at around 10:51 a.m. on Feb. 26, when Norristown police were called to the intersection of DeKalb and East Brown streets for a report of a two-car crash with entrapment, as per a criminal complaint filed by county Detective David Schanes and Norristown Detective William Klinger.
The crash involved a 2004 Nissan Armada SUV driven by Ortiz-Gonzalez and a 2021 Nissan Sentra driven by Campos. When officers arrived, they found Campos trapped and unresponsive in her vehicle. Sadly, Campos was pronounced dead at the scene. Ortiz-Gonzalez and three minors who were passengers in his vehicle were taken to the hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
The investigation revealed that Ortiz-Gonzalez was driving northbound on DeKalb Street at 60 mph in an area where the speed limit was 25 mph, while Campos was driving eastbound on East Brown Street approaching a stop sign.
“Campos slowed down but did not completely stop. Campos then pulled out onto DeKalb Street into the path of Ortiz-Gonzalez,” Schanes and Klinger alleged, adding the Armada driven by Ortiz-Gonzalez collided with the Sentra driven by Campos on the passenger side.
The Armada hit the Sentra with such force that it pushed the Sentra 50 feet across the intersection and off the road, detectives alleged.
“The Sentra was pushed into a tree on the driver’s side,” Schanes and Klinger alleged. “The Sentra sustained heavy damage and intrusion into the passenger compartment.”
An autopsy determined that Campos died from “multiple blunt impact injuries” and the manner of death was ruled “accident,” according to the arrest affidavit.
Detectives used surveillance camera footage of the crash to help determine the speed, according to court documents.
Detectives claimed that an analysis of the evidence indicated that the Sentra would have cleared the intersection if Ortiz-Gonzalez had been driving at the posted 25-mph speed limit, and the crash would not have happened.
According to detectives, Ortiz-Gonzalez “operated this vehicle in a reckless manner, at a high rate of speed causing the fatal crash.”
Detectives said that the Armada driven by Ortiz-Gonzalez had four people inside, but none of them were using seatbelts.
